Pipe wrapping machine



April 23, 1935.. I 1.. s. ROSENER ET AL ,9

PIPE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 26, 1926.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NY vE/v r025 LELAND $5. EOSENEE.

EM/L 5/218.

7715/? ATTORNEY April .23, 1935, L s, ROSENER AL 1,998,908

PIPE WRAPPING MACHINE I Filed Aug 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /IIIIIIIIIIIII Patented Apr. 23,v 1935 PATENT OFFICE 1,998,908 PIPE WRAPPING MACHINE Leland S. Rosener Calif., assignors Inc., San Francisco, Delaware Application August 26,

and Emil Birk, San Francisco, to The Paraffine Companies,

Calif., a corporation of 1926, Serial No. 131,568

4 Claims.. (01. 242-11) Our invention relates to a machine for wrapping a protective strip about a pipe.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a machine of this character adapted to wrap pipe which has already been laid and is in fixed position in the ground.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a pipe wrapping machine in which a protective strip is wrapped about a fixed pipe and embodying means for applying an adhesive and waterproof fiuid to the pipe and wrapping strip to hold the latter in place and seal the pipe within an impervious covering.

Other. objects of the invention will be set forth in the following description of the preferred embodiment of our invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is understood that we do not limit ourselves to the showing made by the saighdescrip'tion and drawings as we may adopt variations of our preferred embodiment within the scope of our invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

4 Figure 1 is a plan view showing the wrapping machine of our invention operating on a pipe line.

,. Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine, a portion of the structure being shown in section.

Figure 3 is an-end elevation, the direction of the view being indicated by the arrow 3' in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view thru a modified form of a portion of the machine.

Figure 5 is a detail partly in section showing the construction of the spool, the plane in which the view is taken being indicated by the line 35 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail showing the construction of the barrel, the direction of the view being indicated by the arrow 6 in Figure 4.

In broadly descriptive terms, the wrapping machine of our invention comprises a frame provided with wheels for supporting it upon the pipe to be wrapped. A hollow spool on which i a quantity of the wrapping material is held is journaled on the frame about the pipe and a wrapping arm for applying the wrapping material from the spool to the pipe is mounted on the frame for orbital rotation about the pipe. Means are provided for causing rotation of the wrapping arm to wind the wrapping strip about the pipe and simultaneously rotating one of the supporting wheels to advance the frame carry- 55; ing the arm axially along the pipe so that the resulting movements of the wrapping arm wraps the strip about the pipe spirally. Means are also provided for applying a fiuid such as hot asphalt between the pipe and the wrapping material, so that the wrapping strip is adhesively retained 5 in place and the laps sealed with a waterproof, decay resisting and durable material.

More particularly, our wrapping machine comprises a frame 2, on which is journaled a shaft 3, carrying a knurled wheel 4, adapted to support 10 one end of the frame upon the pipe or pipe line 6. The wheel 4 is knurled to provide a tractive engagement with the surface of the pipe and the other end of the frame is supported by a wheel 1 similarly carried on the frame. Extendl6 ing downwardly on each side of the frame are the pivotally mounted arms 8, each of which is provided with a roller 9 at the lower end adapted to engage the side of the pipe. Each of the arms 8 is provided with an arm I I extending upwardly past the pivotal connection I2, and having a link l3 on the end thereof extending thru the side of the frame and provided with a nut 14 between which and the frame is interposed a spring l6.

Thus the rollers 9 are resiliently held against the side of the pipe to maintain the frame in upright position about the pipe. It is desirable also to have a workman alongside of the machine to ensure its proper position during operation, as the nature of the ground over which such a machine must operate is usually such as to preclude the use of mechanism for keeping the machine upright and operating from the surface of the ground.

Fixed on the shaft 3 is a gear l8 in mesh with a gear l3 having clutch element'2l fixed thereon 'and journaled on the shaft 22 journaled in the -frame 2. A clutch sleeve 23 splined upon the shaft 22 provides means for locking the gear l9 to the shaft 22 and this clutch sleeve is controlled by a. lever 24 pivoted upon a fixed arm.

26 extending from the frame of the machine.

The shaft 22 is also provided with. a fixed sprocket'3l, connected by the chain 32 with a sprocket on the jack shaft 33, connected by the worm gearing 34 with the shaft of the reversible motor 36. The motor is mounted upon suitable cross-bars 31 arranged on the frame 2 and is controlled by the usual switch 38'. Thus by engaging the clutch element 23 with the gear IS, the frame may be moved in either direction along the ,pipe line. I

Extendingfrom the underside of the frame is a large bearing 4|, having the bearing cap 42 held thereon by readily releasable means such .46 is a wrapping arm 6|, for

as the bolts 43. Journaled within this bearing and retained therein by the flange 44 is acylindrical barrel or rotor 46 provided with the gear teeth 47 at one end extending beyond the bearing on the other side to a flange 48. Since the pipe line to be wrapped is already installed and usually in use, and since it is necessary that the barrel should surround the pipe line, the barrel is made in two pieces so that it may be assembled around the pipe and then seated within its bearing. Preferably the barrel is made in two parts with suitable interlooking or dovetail devices, 49 arranged in the end flanges. Theflange 44 on the drum which seats within a complementary groove in the bear-' ing 4| prevents axial disengagement of the interlocking devices after assembly of the drum parts within the bearing. M Meshing with the-teeth 41 is a gear 5| journaled upon the frame in a suitable bearing and connected for rotation to the shaft 22 by means of the beveled gears 52, so that with rotation of the drive shaft 22 the barrel 46 is rotated.

Journaled upon the projecting end of the barrel is a spool'or reel 53 preferably provided with a projecting flange 54 journaled within a complementary seat inside the bearing 4|. The spool is also made in two parts dovetailed together by interlocking devices 56 arranged in the spool fianges.51;. and because of the mounting of the spool flange 54 within the bearing 4|, axial disengagement of the assembled parts is prevented.

From the above it will be understood that by a removal of the bearing cap 42 and rotation of the spool and drum to properly aline the joints, the lower half of the spool maybe laterally moved to the left (of Figure2) to disengage it from the upper half and that the lower half of the drum may then be similarly disengaged, thus permitting. the machine to be lifted off of the pipe line. To apply the machine to a pipe line, the parts are assembled in the reverse order. Carried in fixed position on the end of the barrel applying the strip from the spool to the The position of this arm must be very of wrapping material 62 pipe.

carefully adjusted and we provide a universalconnection 63 on the end of the barrel for mounting the arm. Since it is desirable to exert tension upon the strip 62 in order to draw it tightly about the pipe, we provide a bar 64- parallel to the wrapping arm 6| and held therea'gainst by the springs 66, the tensionof which-may be adjusted by the nuts 61, so that the desired degree of tension may be exerted by the wrapping arm upon the wrapping strip.

The rotation of .the barrel of course imparts to the wrapping arm an orbital rotation about the pipe and with the movement of the frame along the pipe such orbital movement of the wrapping arm is in a spiral direction about the pipe.

The wrapping strip is taken from the spool upon which it has been previously wound, and in order to ensure a fair delivery of the wrapping strip from the spool to the wrapping arm, we prefer to pass the strip over a transfer arm II also fixedly adjusted on the end of the barrel by t he universal mounting 12. Because of the extensive surface of the bearing between the spool and the barrel there will be a desired frictional resistance between the two so that a certain amount of tension is placed on the wrapping strip as it leaves the spool. It will be understood that the spool is not driven but that with the rotation adjacent the bearing and of the wrapping arm, it turns under the pull of the wrapping strip as the strip is wound upon the pipe.

Because the spool will holdbut a relativelyshort length of the wrapping material, itis necessary from time to time, as the wrapping proceeds, to renew the supply of wrapping material on the spool. We therefore provide a springpressed lock 13 for connecting the spool for rotation with the barrel. A supply roll 14 of wrapping material is conveniently mounted upon the standards 16 fixed on the frame 2 and the end of the strip started on the spool byhand. By releasing the clutch'sleeve 23, the motor may then be started to rotate the barrel and spool together to fill the spool with wrapping material. When full the strip is torn and the torn end of the part on the spool led over the transfer arm 1| thru the wrapping arm and applied to the pipe, whereupon the wrapping operation may be continued.

Means are provided for applying a fluid between the pipe and the wrapping material. Prefthe earth.

Referring first to Figure 2, we have shown a tank 11 heated by-the burner 18 and provided with a discharge pipe 19 controlled by the valve 8|. The end of the pipe is disposed so as to discharge the fluid asphalt upon the pipe within the barrel and just ahead of the wrapping strip.

The fluid so discharged is smeared over the sur-- faceof the pipe by means of. the wipers 82. disposed, spirally on the inside surface of the barrel so as to spread the fluid evenly over the surface of the pipe and toward the wrapping strip.

In Figure 4 is shown an alternative means for applying the hot fluid. The barrel is provided with an annular passage 86 and a pipe 81 from the tank 11 is connected into the .bearing 4| opposite' this annular passage so that fluid flowing thru the pipe 81 fills it. Fixed on the inside of this barrel and'connected into this passage is a pipe 88 closed at the end and having a slot 89 for the delivery of a thinfiat jet of the fluid. The length of the pipe 88 and the position of the slot therein is such that the jet of fluid is delivered directly between the pipe and the wrapping strip immediately before its contact with the pipe. A

drain plug 90 permits the fluid in the passage to' be drained out prior to the removal of the bearing when. the barrel is disassembled. The quant1ty of fiuid'applied in either case is regulated to an amount suflicient to thoroughly cover the pipe and seal the lapped joints between the edges of the strip.

comprising 2.

ping material and mounted on said frame for orbital rotation about the pipe, and means for advancing the frame axially along the pipe in time with the rotation of the wrapping arm, said Wrapping arm comprising a pair of springheld bars between which the wrapping material is threaded. I

3. A pipe wrapping machine comprising a frame, means on said framepfor holding a roll of sheet wrapping material from which the wrapping material is wound about the pipe and means for rotating said holding means when desired to effect re -rolling thereon of sheet material from a supply roll.

4. Apipe wrapping machine comprising a frame, means for supporting the frame for movement along the pipe to be wrapped, means for holding a roll of sheet wrapping material for movement with the frame, and means for rotating said holding means when desired to effect re-ro1ling thereon of sheet material from a supply roll.

LELAND s. ROSENER. Elv n. BIRK. 

